BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An unusual dog named Pig, with one remarkable story, recently made her first public appearance at a festival in her hometown, earning the pooch lots of new adoring fans.

According to the Alabama Media Group, the oddly shaped dog was born with severe birth defects to a feral mother. She is missing part of her spine and several ribs, and parts of her hips and joints also face the wrong directions.

When Pig was born, it was the unique looking puppy’s will to survive which saved her and her litter mates from an uncertain fate. It was Pig who barked and got the attention of the people who would eventually rescue them. Now the eight-month-old pup weighs about 15 pounds, while her siblings weight about 35-40 pounds each.

“Pig doesn’t know there’s anything wrong with her,” Pig’s owner, Kim Dillenbeck, told the Alabama Media Group. She said at the time she rescued her, a veterinarian recommended she have the dog euthanized because of her birth defects.

Dillenbeck said although Pig acts as if she feels perfectly fine and doesn’t appear to be in a lot of obvious pain, she does has many issues. In addition to missing part of her spine and several ribs, Pig has vertebrae that are fused and twisted, and near her neck area, her spinal cord actually splits into two separate cords.

Dillenbeck said she has to watch Pig when she eats because she chokes easily on her food. She also says since the dog’s organs do not have very much room, it’s necessary for Pig to eat slowly so there is room for her lungs to expand. She says often the dog gets out of breath when she eats too fast.

Pig’s owner said veterinarians and many people out on the streets say they’ve never seen anything like Pig before.

Lisa Morrison

Vicky Moss

There is no way to describe the love that filled my heart when I see this dog I have also rescued a shelter pet named Delilah and she has filled our hearts with hope and peace for the future please adopt today